US DATA: NFIB Nov employment survey: “On average, owners reported
increasing employment an average of 0.12 workers per firm. Seasonally
adjusted, 13 percent of the owners added an average of three workers per
firm over the past few months, and 11 percent reduced employment an
average of 2.9 workers per firm. The remaining 74 percent of owners made
no net change in employment. Forty-seven (47) percent of small business
owners hired or tried to hire in the last three months and 35 percent of
them reported few or no qualified applicants for positions, both figures
up 4 points from October… Sixteen percent (seasonally adjusted)
reported hard to fill job openings up 2 points and the highest reading
in 38 months. Over the next three months, 11 percent plan to increase
employment (up 2 points), and 11 percent plan to reduce their workforce
(down 1 point), yielding a seasonally adjusted net 7 percent of owners
planning to create new jobs, a 4 point improvement and the strongest
reading in 38 months.”